Page 93 of Falling Into Forever
“That’s not…” I stop talking and focus on the stones I’m stacking when I catch sight of Harrison crossing the yard, grinning at Ainsley like a lovesick puppy.
Freaking typical, Harrison. He has great ideas, all right, and he still gets other people to do his bidding.
“I’ll finish this,” Grady grumbles. “You go get cleaned up.”
Whatever truce we had on the dock is obviously over. He’s locked up tight, and his body language screamstalk and you die, so I don’t say anything. Instead, I search for Lena, but when I find her, she’s standing and laughing with Cassie, so I change directions.
Whatever is going on between Lena and Grady will have to wait.
Halfway up the porch steps, I hear Poppy’s squeal of laughter and stop in my tracks, listening, watching, embracing everything happening around me.
Someone told me once that life happens in a million tiny moments sewn together to create the tapestry of your story. If that’s true, I desperately want a million moments like this, with laughter as the soundtrack, and love the glue that binds us forever.
The screen door crashes open, and Poppy comes barreling through with an ear-piercing screech followed by little girl giggles.
Lilly and a teenage boy I’ve never met run past me, groaning like zombies, and chasing my niece.
Grady looks up at the same time, and we acknowledge each other with a simple nod.
I can’t say what he sees, but I’m staring at a man longing for normalcy and fighting it all at the same time. A moment later, his attention is snatched away when Lilly and the boy who must be her boyfriend, Kai, run through the yard with little kids in tow.
Shaking my head, I walk inside to find Saylor.
She’s not in the bookstore, so I make sure the front door is locked, then head upstairs to the apartment. I find her sitting at a window in the family room, chin resting on her knees, watching the chaos unfold below us.
She appears so small and fragile like this, but she’s also missing the sadness she’s been wearing like armor since I arrived.
“Hey,” I say gently.
Her eyes swim with emotion when she lifts her head to find me.
“What’s wrong?” I cross the room in three long strides, lift her from the chair, then sit with her in my lap.
Her expression is unreadable, and she shakes her head like she doesn’t want to talk, so I pull her head to my chest and hold her.
“Are you okay?”
She nods.
“So far, I don’t think we’ll face any lawsuits for property damage.” I chuckle. Hopefully that refills her sass well.
“I warned them,” she groans before pulling back to study my face. “Did I make things worse?”
“No, Sayls. Different? Yes. But not worse. So far, everyone likes what they saw. I’ll put out another statement tonight to help tip the scales of public opinion in our favor.”
“Okay.” One of her hands sways with the pendant, and the other pinches her earlobe, but her gaze lingers on the window and the people below.
“What else?” I ask, brushing her hair off her face, then cradling her head between my hands.
When she frowns at me, I nod toward her necklace.
“What else is bothering you?” I ask again.
Her gaze drifts back to the window before focusing on me. “It’s just…today was. Today was good. Right?” The insecurity in her tone deflates my heart.
“Yes, Sayls. Today was really good.” I turn us so we’re both facing the window. “And it’s not over. The Reid brothers are here with Lilly and her boyfriend. Cassie is here.”
“Ainsley too,” she says.
